Here is my prayer for your life:

Our kind and loving Heavenly Father, I thank you for sending Jessica into our family to brighten our way. What a blessing she is! I pray that you will watch over her and guide her in the way she should go. May she keep you first in her life, using the unique talents you gave her to win others to Jesus and to encourage many along the way. I pray that she will find happiness in serving the Lord and that the lives of many will be changed because Jessica has passed their way. In Jesus' name, amen.

Here's what I remember about one walk when I was a little girl…

One place near our house that I vividly remember from childhood is Lyon's Hill. I remember going up that hill one wintry day on my way to the bus stop where I caught a bus to go downtown to do Christmas shopping. (People traveled that hill to get on the main road out of the side communities.) This particular day my heart was light and full of happy anticipation because Daddy had given each of us kids $5.00 to do our Christmas shopping!

A good decision I made was…

deciding to attend ENC. This opened a whole new part of the country to me. I had never traveled very far from my small town of East Liverpool, O., and going to school in New England and meeting students from many other areas was a great eye-opener. Plus—being in a Christian school was great. A big bonus, of course, was meeting someone with whom I would spend the rest of my life—your Grandpa!​

Let me tell you how God helped me through a tough time:

When Aunt Thelma passed away, Grandpa, as her only living sibling*, felt responsible for overseeing the settlement of her affairs. Some of the family, not understanding the law nor how things were done when a person died without a will, caused a big rumpus, making Grandpa and me feel like outcasts. Trusting God to help us through and with the help of an encouraging lawyer, the estate was settled. This was on of the most difficult times of my life but God was with us. He never fails!

I remember one of the "bumps" in my life. Here's what I did and how it turned out:

When my last year of college arrived I was faced with the challenge of finding a teaching job. I was offered a job at Woodward School for Girls in Quincy, MA where I had done my practice student teaching, which I did not accept, due to low salary.

I then took a bus to a town near the college for an interview, but did not get the job. When no other job opened up, I decided to stay on at the bakery where I had worked during much of my college days.

In the meantime Grandpa and I were married and later moved to Mansfield, MA where Grandpa served as Director of Christian Education at a prominent Congregational church in town. In January I was hired as a 5th grade teacher at Park Row School which proved to be a valuable experience. Our work with the kids at the church and my experience teaching brought us into contact with many people in that small town and were were a real part of the community.

Here is a fond memory I have of each person in my family:

Mom — Her offer to buy me a new coat when she probably needed one, not me.Dad — Praising me by saying "JoAnn memorizes the dictionary" which of course I did not! — The day he called me in Pawtucket to tell the good news of his conversion.Sara — How she helped me make headpieces for our wedding.Nedra — Her generosity in giving me a beautiful winter coat.Gloria — The 6 mos. we lived with her and Ron while our house was being built.Dottie — Her glowing testimony.Gillie — Her wonderful meals and words of encouragement.Dick — How he would say I was his favorite sister. Of course he said this to all his sisters.

Here are some ways you can encourage older folks:

1. Show attention by talking to them.2. Ask about their youth.3.. Share a happy experience.4. Giving a word of appreciation.5. Doing a kind deed for them.6. Giving a small gift.7. Sending a birthday card or "get well".8. Inviting them to lunch.9. Asking for their advice.10. Inviting them to go to a play, museum, park, etc.

Let me tell you about a time when I said "thanks" to God:

So many times we have thanked God! Especially I thank Him for directing our move to New Philadelphia, OH. We prayed many times for His timing and will to be worked out in each step. When things began to move, it was amazing how everything important came together!

Let me tell you about someone who has been an example of humility:

A person who strikes me as an example of Christlikeness, which includes humility is Esta Doerres, a lady who has served the Lord many years.

She serves in whatever avenue is open to her without calling attention to herself nor expecting any recognition or fanfare. She truly loves the Lord and cares about others.

She doesn't need the latest fashions, yet always dresses neatly. She lives simply and always seems to have something to give to others. Putting God's Kingdom first is very apparent in this humble lady's life.